What better way to celebrate the Olympics than by drinking Canadian wines? Choice isn’t a problem with more than 400 wineries in eight provinces. But it’s the quality of Canadian wines, rather than the quantity, will convince you that they are the ideal complement to this sporting event. Canada has a long history with the grape. Viking explorer Lief Erickson first named the country “Vineland” in 1001 BCE when he saw so many vines growing in Newfoundland. Although the classic vitus vinifera grapes such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay do not grow in the province, blueberries, cloudberries, lingoberries, or partridge […]
Canadian Wines
1. Canadian wine making is not a recent phenomenon. Viking explorer Leif Ericson first named Canada Vinland in 1001 BCE after he found so many vines growing where he landed at L’Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland. In 1535, Jacques Cartier also found many grapes growing on the island he named Ile de Bacchus (later known as Ile d’Orleans). 2. Jesuit priests found that wine made from the native rough-hewn grapes, which were not classic vitis vinifera grapes, was barely palatable for sacramental purposes. Vitis vinifera grapes were first planted in the 1900s. 3. Johann Schiller, a retired German soldier, is known […]
BYOB
When a medium-fancy friend of mine recently joined me for dinner at a medium-fancy Bay Area restaurant, she recoiled when our waitress told her the price of certain Syrah: $8 a glass. Her horror wasn’t at the cost — although it certainly could have been. Instead, she was realizing that since many of this restaurant’s wines were in the $10-15-a-glass range, this $8 glass might very well have been a dollar-store special of dubious quaffability. Now, this same friend regularly — and happily — purchases bottles of wine for $8 or less. “If it tastes good, I take great personal […]
Wine Tasting Party
In my book, seven friends come over to my home and we have an informal wine tasting. It’s a great excuse to get together and chat about the wines and, as the evening progresses, life in general. You don’t need to be a wine expert to host a tasting, just as you don’t need to have a doctorate in English literature to organize a book club. In fact, wine tastings work well for book clubs too, especially if you’re discussing a book such as Red, White, and Drunk All Over. I’ve posted lots of low-cost wines in the Wine Picks […]
Food & Wine 5
Of 11 wines on the tasting table, the Col d’Orcia Rosso di Montalcino, a full-bodied, fruity Tuscan red, was Tom Natan’s top choice. Adam Manson hated it. Both have well-trained and -respected palates. Natan is a partner in the Washington-based importer and retailer First Vine. Manson is a co-owner of Veritas, a popular wine bar in Dupont Circle. But the physiological differences in their tongues, coupled with their varied experiences, mean that the same wine tastes different to each of them. To Natan, the big, juicy flavors are luscious. To Manson, they are overwhelming, even bitter. Neither one is right […]
Celebrity Winemakers
Marilyn Merlot and Jailhouse Red aren’t high-end plonk, but they are among the better-known and widely consumed Marilyn and Elvis selections — celebrity wines with a hint of exploitation, a heavy aroma of kitsch and a nose for profit. Celebrity wines are in, to judge by this growing list: Madonna, Wayne Gretzky, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Weir, Tommy Lasorda, Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan, Mariah Carey, Lorraine Bracco, Larry Bird, Fess Parker, Francis Ford Coppola, Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Gérard Depardieu, Olivia Newton-John, Barbra Streisand, Sting, Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher, Paris Hilton, Cliff Richard, Steven Seagal, Sam Neill and Mötley Crüe frontman […]
Muscat
Muscat is an ancient grape poised for new attention from adventurous wine lovers looking for a fragrant wine that comes in a wide range of styles from dry to sweet. Chicago-area retailers have seen the wine growing in popularity. Tracy Lewis Liang, wine and spirits director at Treasure Island Foods stores, has noticed a recent uptick in sales. She said the renewed interest is because people are getting over the idea that fruity means sweet and unsophisticated. “Muscat is one of those grapes like riesling and chenin blanc that can make any style of wine from bubblies to dry dinner […]
Wine Snobbery 2
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found the world of wine just a tad bit pretentious. Perhaps I label it so because it is a universe of which I am not a citizen. Fermented grapes have never done much for me, even in the days when hops and barley did. My latest contact with the wine world came the other day at the Westnedge Avenue Meijer store, of all places. I’m walking down the wine aisle strictly as a shortcut to the Oreos, and a well-dressed woman felt the need to impart her wine wisdom on me. “This […]
Braille Labels
Many people rely heavily on the information on wine labels to help them in making a purchasing decision, but what if the consumer is sight-impaired? An item on wine writer Natalie MacLean’s Web site calls attention to several producers who are using Braille on their labels to feature the winemaker, appellation, name of the wine, vintage and whether the wine is red or white. Interestingly, none of the wineries mentioned are in the U.S.The senses of sight, smell and taste all play a role in wine tasting, but this adds another dimension — touch. MacLean also said that a blind […]
Canadian Wine Lists
Which restaurant boasts the largest collection of Amarone wines in the world? Here’s a clue: It’s not in Italy, or even New York. It’s an old-style Italian joint called Via Allegro Ristorante, in a generic strip mall across from a Home Depot in western Toronto. Top Restaurants For Canadian Wine-Lovers Don’t let the plebian locale fool you. Its wine list–which, at 5,000 selections, is one of largest in the world–has earned the prestigious Grand Award from Wine Spectator each year since 2003. Bistro a Champlain, about an hour outside of Montreal on the road to Mont Tremblant, easily boasts the […]
